As it’s that seasonal time of year when half (perhaps more than half) of all people are moaning and the other half are happy in the knowledge that no matter what happens, presents WILL be under THAT tree on the 25th. We felt that perhaps what’s in order is a little festive spirit to liven things up a little with our [possibly unsuitable] short last minute gift list for the electric vehicle enthusiast.
Of course, there are MILLIONS of Christmas ideas lists, so we’ve tried to be a little different in not suggesting socks and other gifts that are not new or exciting. Furthermore since the deadline from most online retailers has now passed, we’ve tried to only put items that are still obtainable on the high street. Our short list of only five items is catered more towards the electric car enthusiast and we admit, not necessarily the poor ones. However, since Father Christmas has a seemingly unlimited budget, we felt it only right that we should too.
We’ve purposely not put an order to the list, as due to the highly differing nature of each item, there is no correct way to classify which is best.
The DMCEV Electric DeLorean… VOUCHER!
Price: £70,000 (or priceless if talking about the voucher)
Availability: Vehicle not currently in production, but you can get in touch with DMC if you’re really serious. Voucher download below.
Definitely a fantastic idea for those with a moth filled wallet but who’d like to envisage and portray that they’re far from it. The real electric DeLorean or DMCEV has been in the works for the last three years (at least). However, despite promises of a 2013 arrival, there is yet to be any further news about it and we’ll avoid a joke about them going back in time in order to fulfil their 2013 promise! That said there’s every chance that it will come to the fore in 2014. So, we’ve whipped up a little Photoshop magic and produced this voucher you can print off at home and give to someone you’re not likely to see for a while – so that you don’t have to follow through on your gift promise should the car ever come to fruition! And yes, the real car is still made of stainless steel!
*** CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE VOUCHER (PDF) ***
Electric Scooter – Razor E100
Price: £159.99
Availability: Argos and other high street stores. Online shops with premium delivery (in time for Christmas) is possible
Suitable for all ages, the electric scooter is one of those things that you either love or hate. On the plus side, they’re great for getting incredibly lazy kids out and about in the fresh air – while still remaining lazy. On a more negative side, they’re likely to annoy other pavement users and we don’t advise trying drag races against your real world electric car/motorbike. All in all though, they’re a bit of fun and sure to please even the most angry of children.
Electric Car Books
There are many books on electric cars and it is fair to say that as with all books, some are better than others. The fact is that electric cars are nothing new, they actually pre-date petrol driven cars, and as such there is a plethora of different books on EVs. From those that try to see into the future to those that deal with the modern and then others which concentrate on the history of electric cars, there’s something for everyone – even those who don’t like electric cars can find books about them which they’ll like, i.e. slagging off electric cars. We think there’s a few standouts though such as the following:
- A History of Electric Cars by Nigel Burton
Price: £12.47 (Kindle edition), £25.00 RRP (hardback)
Availability: Online as an ebook from the likes of Amazon or from good bookstores such as Waterstones for the hardback version. - Build Your Own Electric Vehicle, Third Edition, by Seth Leitman and Bob Brant
Price: £13.11 (Kindle Edition), £18.99 RRP (paperback)
Availability: Online as an ebook from the likes of Amazon or from good bookstores such as Waterstones for the paperback.
Electric Car Charging Point
Price: from £FREE or £99 (see text)
Availability: Many charge point installers offer a free, government subsidised, home charging unit such as Chargemaster.
Why not make use of the Government’s rare generosity by taking up one of many companies offers to have a free home charge point installed for a prospective electric car owner? There are criteria, such as needing permission from the home owner, but it’s relatively hassle free and serves as a great gift. Better still, if you’re good friends with someone who owns an electric car and they often come to visit, why not get an electric car charge point so that when they come to visit they can plug in! If you don’t fancy being cheap and going for the free version, seeing as it would be the slow charge 3kW version, then for a little more, Chargemaster will sell you their 7kW version for a mere £99.
BMW Genuine Miniature Vision EfficientDynamics RC Remote Control Model Car 1:14 & 1:43 Static Model
Price: £45.99 RRP (RC), £21.99 (1:43 static model)
Availability: Several online sellers offer the RC car, such as Amazon but delivery before Christmas is now risky unless you pay for premium delivery. Your local BMW dealer is worth a try though and may be better able to supply the 1:24 scale model which can be seen here
Until the toy companies start churning out BMW’s latest ‘i’ range of vehicles in miniature format, you’ll just have to make do with the i8’s concept – the Vision EfficientDynamics by BMW. It is in a healthy 1:14 scale meaning it’s not tiny and will require a decent amount of room to enjoy fully. It is an electric car through and through, so although the real world i8 is a hybrid, it is at least a good representation of the car and hours of ankle smashing fun. However, as we stated at the beginning of this article, many online shops have finished their ‘in time for Christmas’ delivery deadlines and as such that puts this item at the bottom of the list. There is, possibly, an alternative though. BMW also make a 1:43 scale static model of the same car. Though no where near as much fun as the large RC model, it is still sure to please any BMW lover whether they’re into hybrid/electric cars or not.
What are your thoughts, can you think of some appropriate gift ideas for the discerning electric vehicle enthusiast? Add your comments below.
There’s not much out there but I’ve managed to get my husband an EV specific t-shirt and a cool air freshener for his stocking from sparkandvolt.com